The Legend of Zelda: The Missing Chapter
by Reflective-Rain
Summary: What happened after Ocarina of Time that lead to the Hyrule we see in the Wind Waker? Why did Hyrule become a sea and what happened to Link and Zelda? Depressing with a happy end or so I'm told. One shot


**The Legend of Zelda: The Missing Chapter**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Legend of Zelda, Zelda, the three goddesses, Hyrule, Ganondorf or Link (God, I wish I did own Link though).**

_Once upon a time there was a young boy, a Kokiri, clothed in green and without a fairy. He lived in the Kokiri forest, with the other Kokiri like him. He was often teased and put down because he had no fairy. Then one day, a fairy came to him at last, and that was the start of his legend. He left the forest and found out many things and traveled to many places. He discovered he was not a Kokiri, but a Hylian, and that unlike his friends he would one day grow old. He faced many trials and killed many enemies. In the end he saved all of Hyrule when he defeated Ganondorf, an evil man who sought to make a wish on the tri-force and destroy Hyrule. But then one day, he disappeared from Hyrule completely and was never heard from again. Where did he go? No one knows…_

_That is the version of the legend of the hero of time whispered of amongst the five races of Hyrule. But it isn't entirely true. There are some that know of what happened to Link, the hero of time. The six sages know of course, they know almost everything that goes on it seems. But there is another, one who isn't a sage. The one who is responsible for his disappearance…_

_My name is Zelda, but to my people I am known as the Queen of Hyrule. And I made a terrible mistake five years ago. Five years ago, on this day, I sent the hero of time back to his childhood. I don't know what went wrong. He was supposed to replace the Master Sword and then I was supposed to play the song of time. Doing this was supposed to take all of Hyrule back to seven years ago, back before Ganondorf tried to destroy Hyrule. But something went wrong. Instead of all of Hyrule going back to seven years ago, only Link went back, or at least, I assume he did. I have no way of knowing for sure what happened to him._

_And so Hyrule has slowly rebuilt itself. It's nothing like it was five years ago, but the castle and the market are functioning and that's all that really matters. The people will never forget the horrors they and their loved ones endured, but they are beginning to heal. Or, they were. But it seems that the peace was not meant to last. Ganondorf has risen again, and because of me there is no hero of time to stop him._

_There were those that believed that Link would return to save us all once again. The sages tried to bring him back to our time from the past, but their efforts were for nothing. Link hasn't returned, and he's not going to. He's gone and Hyrule is on it's own._

_I'm not sure exactly when the people lost hope that Link would return. Some never believed he would return, and some still seem to think he will. All I know for sure, is that the temple of time is now full of people praying to the goddesses to save us. And they're answering our prayers. I don't think the citizens of Hyrule know, but I've seen it in my dreams. Hyrule flooded completely, with only the tips of the mountains sticking out of the water. Hyrule transformed into an ocean. And I know that it's going to happen, because two weeks ago the rain started._

_Many homes are already flooded. I know that the people blame the flood on Ganondorf. It's hard to believe that this is the goddesses' solution to our problems. It took me a long time to accept it myself. But I understand now. By flooding the land Ganondorf and all his minions will be wiped out. It's just a shame all of Hyrule has to go with them. I trust that the goddesses know what they do though, and have no choice but to believe that this is for the best._

_I don't know if this document will survive what is about to happen. As I write this I am sitting on the roof of the new Hyrule castle. The rain is pouring down faster and harder then I've ever seen in my life. I'm afraid of what's going to happen to me. The water level is already three fourths of the up the castle. Many are dead; many more have fled to the mountains. But all this is my fault, I sent Link away, so I will join my parents in death. Who knows, perhaps I will even get to see Link again…Oh goddesses, I can hear him coming…Ganondorf is coming for me…_

With a resigned sigh, Zelda let her arm drop, the spell she'd been using to engrave her final words into the stone of Hyrule castle dying on her fingertips. She was soaked to the skin, her long blond hair clinging to skin, to her face. Her dress was also plastered against her skin. She could feel the rainwater running down her face, rolling off her nose, hiding her silent tears. She could hear the heavy footsteps behind her, splashing through the puddles on the roof.

"Queen Zelda," The familiar voice, tainted by evil and power, spoke. "Why do you not take refuge with the others of your kingdom?" Without looking up Zelda knew Ganondorf was smirking. She could hear it in his voice. "I think I know why. You're waiting for _him_ aren't you? You think he'll come riding in on that horse of his and save the day don't you?" He sneered. Zelda flinched slightly at the mention of Link, for she knew that was whom Ganondorf was referring to. Keeping her head down and still not turning to face him, Zelda replied quietly. Ganondorf frowned. "What was that?" He hissed. Slowly Zelda stood and turned to face her enemy. Her eyes shone with a mixture of hatred and sadness.

"He isn't coming back. He's gone, for good. I sent him back to his childhood. So you won't get your revenge on him, and you won't get the triforce, because he still has his piece with him. Whatever you came back for, it was for nothing. The goddesses will cover Hyrule in water, and it will become a sea. And you, Ganondorf, you will drown in that sea!" No sooner had she finished then Zelda found herself thrown backwards by a blast of power from Ganondorf. Falling to the stone roof she saw stars for a moment and struggled to stay conscious. She felt Ganondorf's footsteps as he came towards her.

"So be it. Hyrule will become the bottom of a sea. But know this, Queen Zelda, you will be the one to die in that sea, not me. You will stay here and drown, I will take refuge on one of the mountains." Raising her head to look at Ganondorf, Zelda saw him draw one of his swords. And then he began to walk closer towards her. So, it would end now. She squeezed her eyes closed, waiting to feel the pain as the sword was driven through her chest.

As the blade pierced her chest she screamed in pain. It was worse then anything she'd endured before. Her vision blurred by tears, pain and rain, she could only just make out Ganondorf as he walked away.

"Goddesses, why are you letting him get away?" She screamed desperately. She fought to stay awake, to stay alive, still sub-consciously clinging to the hope that she'd survive. It was in her dying moments that a series of visions came to her. Her and Link, standing together in the Temple of Time as she prepared to send him back, Link as he was between the two times, the tri-force of courage leaving him and shattering, shards flying all over the Hyrule he'd been sent away from. Link appearing in his childhood, still a grown man, standing in his tree-house watching his sleeping child self. Link, eyes closed, touching the forehead of his child self and disappearing, ceasing to exist. Zelda's emotional pain mixed with her physical pain until it was unbearable and she lay screaming in pain on the roof of her castle.

It was then, in perhaps the darkest moment she'd ever had, that the three goddesses appeared to her. Her pain faded until it was barley there at all. Her vision cleared up and she saw Ganondorf standing at the edge of the roof, a frozen statue. The three goddesses smiled gently down at her, but Zelda continued to sob.

"Why?" She gasped. "Why did he have to die?"

"It had to happen. You cannot simply erase the bad things that happen Zelda, and you tried to do that when you sent him back. It couldn't work that way, that's not how life works. He couldn't exist twice in the same place, so his older self ceased to exist so that his younger self could continue to do so. But do not worry; Ganondorf will remain here, at the bottom of what will soon become a sea. And yours and Link's legend will live on in the stories of the survivors." Din replied, her voice soft.

"It's okay Zelda, Hyrule will be cleansed. There will be peace. You can let go now, he is waiting for you." Nayru told her gently and reached a hand down to the dying Queen. Zelda closed her eyes and reached up to take Nayru's hand. She felt her spirit leaving her body and her pain disappeared. She didn't look back at her body, only up, into Nayru's eyes.

"Will you take me to him?" Zelda asked in a whisper. Nayru nodded and Hyrule faded away.

"Close your eyes. And when I say so, open them again." Nayru whispered to her. Slowly Zelda let her eyelids drop. She stood there, all concept of time gone, aware of nothing but Nayru's hand in hers. After what seemed like both an eternity and a second Nayru whispered to her again. "Open your eyes Zelda." Zelda opened her eyes slowly and looked around. She was standing in a field, a beautiful green field. There was a sky, bright blue and cloudless. She could feel the sun beating down upon her skin. Nayru was gone, but she wasn't alone.

"Zelda!" A voice cried out. She turned and smiled as a pair of strong arms pulled her into a hug. "I missed you." Link whispered into her hair as he held her close.

"I missed you too Link. I'm sorry for what I did. I thought it was for the best." She whispered back.

"Sshhh… it's okay." Link whispered to her. "I don't blame you. You didn't know." Zelda was crying again, but this time in happiness.

"Link… there's something I meant to tell you, when were alive." She took a deep breath and whispered the three words so quietly Link could barely hear her. "I love you…"

"I love you too Zelda." Link whispered back, before kissing her gently.

**Well I hope that was okay. It's my first LoZ fanfic, so sorry if it was bad. Not sure if it's considered sad or depressing or anything, so sorry if it accidentally made you cry. It's supposed to be the link between OoC and WW. So yeah, please review! Not to crazy about flames, but I guess I can't stop you if you're determined to make me miserable.**


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